Alarm clock device



Nov. 16, 1937. R, VARLEY ALARM CLOCK DEVICE Filed Oct. 17, 1935 2Sheets-Sheet l E@ /P/ch/A @a 144,@ fr

I\ ./EINTOR ATTORNEYS.

/t//T/VESS NOV. 16, 1937. R VARLEY 2,099,547

ALARM CLOCK DEVICE Filedoot. 17, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 35 FIG. 17. CT, n

/P/c//A ,e0 l/AAM INVENTOR.

f7-NESS.' BY

. ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 16, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALARM CLOCK vDEVICEApplication October 17, 1935, Serial No. 45,392

Claims.

` This invention relates to an alarm clock device for the convenience ofa person reclining in bed.

It is the natural custom of a person when 5 awakened from sleep by thesound of an-alarm clock to shut oif the alarm and unless the personimmediately arises, there is the natural tendency of the person to againfall asleep, with the result that the person oversleeps and is late inarising. o I appreciate that alarm clocks have been devised whereby theclock initially sounds a soft audible alarm and if not shut olf within apredetermined time, a louder and more violent audible alarmautomatically operates. Such function has required changes in the alarmmechanism of a clock thus making the cost greater than that of anordinary alarm clock, and even though two alarms are set off atpredetermined intervals of time, it is possible for a sleeper to ignorethem although awakened thereby, for they sound for a limited time onlyor by a single manual operation, the alarm may be shut oil! so that thesecond alarm never operates. It is therefore the purpose of thisinvention to continuously sound an audible alarm even though the sleepermay perform the manual act of shutting olf the clock alarm when awakenedthereby, to prevent the possibility of falling asleep thereafter.

Another feature of the invention resides in a bed side alarm devicewhereby the manual act of shutting off the alarm of an alarm clockserves to light a lamp and set into operation a soothing intermittentsecondary audible alarm which will sound until a second manual act isperformed.

Another feature of the invention is to provide a bed side alarm devicewherein the lamp which may be a bed reading lamp cannot be convenientlyturned od before retiring until the secondary alarm is set for operationwhich avoids forgetfulness on the part of a user to set the secondaryalarm'.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a master controldevice by which an alarm clock, reading lamp, and secondary alarm may beconveniently controlled from a person lying in bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the abovecharacter which is compact and attractive in appearance so as not todetract from the artistic furnishings of a bed room in which it isintended for use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essentialfeatures of which are hereinafter fully described,

are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the alarm device.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with parts broken away and shown insection.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view with parts shown in section, thealarm clock and its supporting cradle being shown in raised position infull lines, and in lowered position in dotted lines.

Figure 4 is a top plan view with the alarm clock and its cradle removed.

Figure 5 is a rear elevational view.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the alarm clock supporting cradle.

Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical wiring.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral I IIdesignates a flat rectangular shaped base which is hollow for thehousing of electrical terminals and connecting wires for electricallyconnecting the several electric outlet sockets which are associated withthe base and which will be hereinafter described. The open body of theflat face is closed by a removable plate I I secured in position byscrews or like fastening elements I2 whereby access may be had to theparts enclosed within the base when desired.

Secured to the base I0 and rising upwardly therefrom is a rectangularshaped casing I3, the said casing being set back from the front of thebase. The casing I3 is open at the top and is divided by a horizontalpartition I4 to provide an upper compartment I5 and a lower compartmentI6. The partition I4 extends forward of the casing I3 through avvertical slot I1 in the front wall thereof to provide a forwardlyextending elevated platform I 8. The partition I4 is constructed ofmetal and is bent downwardly and vertically to meet the top of the baseI0. 'I'he downwardly bent portion constitutes a front wall I9 disposedin spaced parallel relation to the front wall of the casing I3, andtogether with the platform I8 and base I0, forms an open endedcompartment 20.

The front wall of the casing I3 inwardly from the top thereof isprovided with a curved cut away portion 2I to conform to the generalshape of the face ofthe alarm clock with which the device is intendedfor use. The rear wall of the casing Il is similarly cut away4 as at 22to ex pose the winding and setting knobs at the back of the alarm clock.

Mounted directly beneath the partition I4 and partly disposed within thelower' compartment I6 and partly within the compartment 20, is a doublepush button snap switch 23 of the conventional construction, and whichincludes an on push button 24 and an "ofP push button 25. 'Ihe pushbuttons 24 and 25 extend through openings 26 in the partition I4. Thepush button 24 is disposed within the upper compartment I while the pushbutton 25 ,is disposed just forward of the plane of the front wall ofthe casing I3 centrally of the slot'or opening I1. In this type of twobutton snap switch, one button is always in an extended position, whilethe other is in a depressed position, the position of the buttonsalternating relative to each other during the turning on and off oi theswitch.

Slidable vertically within the casing is a rectangular shaped cradle 21open at its topand having arcuate shaped openings 28 in the front andrear which coincide with the cut outs 2l and 22 in the casing I3, andwhich register therewith when the cradle is in a lowered position asshown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The bottom of the cradle is providedwith a depending socket or seat 29 for receiving the .outer end of thepush button 24. The push button 24 serves to support the cradle at alltimes for the weight of the same combined with the weight of the. clockto be hereinafter described, is insufficient to overcome the springaction of the snap switch. The side walls of the casing act as guidesfor guiding the cradle during its up and down' sliding movement. It willthus be seen that by pushing downwardly 4upon the off push button 25,the cradle may be lifted by the upward movement of the push button 24,and by pushing downwardly upon the cradle when the same is in araisedposition, the "on push button 24 will be depressed and the oif" pushbutton 25 will move upwardly.

Supported by the cradle 21 is an alarm clock 30, the face and back ofwhich are exposed through the openings 26. In the event that the alarmclock should be smaller than the cradle, suitable fillers may beinserted between the clock and the end walls of the cradle so as toprevent accidental tilting of the clock relative thereto. The alarmclock 30 is shown in the drawings as being of the electrically operatedtype, although alarm clocks of the Winding spring actuated type may beused in connection with the invention without any changes inconstruction thereof..

'I'he alarm clock 30 is provided with the usual alarm setting and shutoff button 3l which extends from the top of the clock casing. In theoperation of this type of button, the manual pulling out of the buttoneffects a setting of the alarm mechanism of the clockvwhereas a manualforce applied in a downward direction to the button will cause the alarmto be stopped or prevent operation of thealarm clock. This same alarmcontrol is present in spring actuated alarm clocks as well as theelectrical type herein shown and described.

Mounted in the lower compartment I6 and opening throughA the rear of thecasing I3 are electric outlet sockets 32 and 33, the socket 32 receivinga plug 34 carried by the free end of an electric cord 35 leading fromthe electric clock 30. 'I'he socket 33 receives a plug 36 carried by thefree end of an electric cord 31 leading to a reading lamp 38' shown inthe diagrammatic view in Figure 7. 'I'he lamp 38' may not necessarily bea reading lamp, but a wall or ceiling lamp within a bed room, or thelamp 36 may be arranged il! parallel with other remote lamps in otherrooms of a household for the purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The sockets 32 and 33 are electrically connected .to a source ofelectric energy with which the device is adapted to be connected, andfor this purpose an electric cord 38 has its conducting wires at one endrespectively connected to binding posts 39 and 46 enclosed within thehollow base I0. The other end of the cord 38 carries a .plug 4I whichmay be inserted into thesocket of an electrical current supply system.

Mounted within the compartment 26 adjacent the left side thereof is-anelectric socket 42 which receives its supply of current from the mainconductor cord 38 in a manner to be later described. Arranged in thesame circuit as the socket 42 is a toggle snap switch 43 having apivoted actuating lever 44. The switch is enclosed within thecompartment 26 but 'the actuating lever 44 extends above the top wall I8thereof forwardly of and to the left side of the push button 25. 'I'helever 44 is provided with a fiat disk 45, which when the actuating leveris swung to an "off position, serves as an obstruction to preventconvenient access to the push button 25. The disk 45 when in obstructingposition as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 prevents free access tothemanipulation of the push button 25, for to operate the same wouldrequire the unnatural forcible insertion of the finger between the diskand the adjacent front wall of the cradle 21. With this in mind, it isobvious that the disk prevents natural operation of the push button 25to shut off the switch 23 unless the switch 43 is in an on position.

The switch 43 controls the secondary electrically operated alarm whichisconnected to the device through the socket 42. The secondary alarmincludes an audible alarm preferably in the form of an electricallyoperated bell 46 which may be conveniently located in the room with theclock A30. The bell 46 is preferably of the soft tone or chime varietyand has a less periodicity than the bell of the alarm clock 36. The bell46 may be of -the slow sounding type such as for instance, one thatsounds at minute or half minute intervals. Although other types of soundinstruments may be used in lieu of the instrument 46, I have found thatthe soft slow intermittent tones produced by this type of instrument aremore pleasing to the ear of a person after being aroused from sleep bythe violent and rapid-sounding of the bell of the alarm clock 36. Anelectric cord 41 has one end connected to the sound instrument 46 andits other end connected to an electric plug 46 which is inserted intothe socket 42.

The wiring of .the several sockets and switch with the source ofelectric supply which enters through the cord 38 is enclosed within thehollow base I6, but in Figure 7- of the drawings, I have illustrated thewiring diagrammatically. The reading lamp circuit in which the socket 33is arranged may be traced as follows: From binding post 39 through wire49 to the socket 33, through the plug 36, cord 31, lamp 38', and returnto the socket 33, wires 50 and 5I to 'the terminal 52 of the switch 23,through switch 23, wire 53, connected to the other terminal 52 of switch23, and to the binding post 40. Thus when the push button 24 is down,the circuit to the reading lamp and to the socket 33 is closed, but whenthe push button 25 is down and the push button 24 up, the said circuitis open.

'111e electric circuit to the secondary alarm is through the bindingpost 33, wire I4 to switch 43, through switch 43, when the same is inon" position to wire 55, socket 42, plug 43, cord 41, bell 4l and returnto socket 42, wire 53 to wire 5I, terminals 52 and 52' of switch 23 towire 53 to bind-l ing post 40. When the switch 43 is in on position andthe switch 23 operated to on" position by depression of the push button24, the secondary alarm circuit will be closed and the bell 45 set inoperation. The bell 45 may be conveniently located within a bed roomwith the device or a number of similar bells may be arranged in the samecircuit in other rooms of a household to arouse not only the occupant ofone room, but also the occupants of other rooms. If desired, a bell orother audible alarm device 55 may be arranged in the secondary alarmsystem by connecting the same with wires 50 and 55. When the bell 55 isincorporated in the circuit, the same may be used as a local secondaryalarm signal whereas, the alarm instrument 45 connected with the devicethrough the plug 43 and socket 42 may be located at some remote place.

In operation of the device, the alarm clock 30 is set for operation at apredetermined time before the user retires, the knob 3| being pulledupwardly to set position as shown ln Figure 5. It is assumed that thepush buttons 25 is in a down position and the switch 23 is thereforeoi!". The switch 43 is in an on position as shown in Figure 1, wherebythe obstructing disk 45 is out of an obstructing position with respectto push button 25. As stated before, the device is adapted to bepositioned on a table beside the bed of a user, and assume that the userafter reclining upon the bed desires to read. It is only necessary forthe user to reach over, press downwardly upon the clock without touchingor distributing the set position of the alarm button, which forcedepresses the push button 24 and turns on the switch 23 and by reason ofthe downward movement of the push button 24. the push button 25movesupwardly. Turning on of the switch 23 effects a closing of thereading lamp circuit, whereupon the lamp 33' is illuminated. It will beremembered that the switch 43 is in an on position and that when theswitch 23 is closed, the secondary alarm circuitin which the bell 45 isarranged will also be closed. In order to avoid the annoying sound ofthe secondary alarm bell 45, the user operates the switch 43 to an openposition, whereby the disk 45 is in an obstructing position with respectto the push button 25. 'I'he actuation of the switch 43 to shut oil!position opens the secondary alarm circuit. When the user wishes to turnout the reading lamp to retire for the night, he cannot do so unless theswitch 43 is turned on for it will be remembered that the disk 45 isobstructing access to the push button 25. The switch 43 is next turnedon and with the obstructing disk 45 in a non-obstructing position, theuser may depress the push button 25, causing the switch 23 to be turnedolf, which moves the push button 24 upwardly which correspondingly movesthe cradle and clock 30 to an elevated or raised position. The act ofmoving the disk 45 to an unobstructing position serves to set the alarmcircuit for operation upon the subsequent turning on of the switch 23.When the rapid alarm of the clock sounds for the awakening of the user,the user manually pushes downwardly upon the button 3| to shut oi saidalarm, and by a following through action of a slightly increased manualforce, the elevated cradle 21 will move downward and cause thedepression of the push button 24 against its spring action which turnson the snap switch 23, thus simultaneously lighting the bed lamp 3l' andoperating the alarm circuit in which the slow sounding bell 43 isarranged. Should the user not arise upon the sounding oi' and shuttingoi! of the alarm clock, he will be reminded thereafter by the slowintermittent tapping of the electrically accuated bell 43 and lightingof the lamp 33 which will act as a reminder and tend to preventaccidental falling asleep after the soundlng of the initial alarm. Afterarising, the user may turn of! the electric lamp 33 and the secondaryalarm by the depression oi the push button 25, or the switch 43 may beturned oi! and the light permitted to remain on.

For the purpose of providing illumination for the face of the alarmclock during the night, I provide a night light 51 which rises upwardlyfrom the platform I3, and which receives its current from a socket 53enclosed within the compartment 2li. A switch 53 is provided for theturning Ion and on of the night light 51.' In Figure '7 of the drawings,it will be seen that the socket 53 ior the night light receives itselectrical energy through wires 30 which are respectively connected tothe binding posts 33 and 4I.

Although I have described the tension on the shut-oi! button 3| of thealarm clock when in set position as being less than that of the on pushbutton 24 oi' the snap switch 23 when in up position, these relativetensions may be reversed, to assure that the on push button 24 isactuated from oil position to on" position during shutting oil' of thealarm mechanism of the clock. Such an arrangement avoids any possibilityof the shutting on of the clock alarm until the snap switch 23 isactuated to on" position to close the auxiliary alarm circuit.

While I have shown and described what I consider to be the mostpractical embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood thatcertain changes and alterations as come within the scope of the appendedclaims may be resorted to when desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

l. An apparatus of the class described comprising in combination aprimary time alarm device including an alarm setting and shut-offmechanism, a secondary alarm means having a less periodicity than saidprimary alarm device, manually actuated control means for rendering saidsecondary alarm means operative and inoperative, means operable by themanual actuation of the shut-ot! mechanism from set to of!" position foractuating said control means to operative position to sound saidsecondary alarm means, and releasable obstructing means for preventingoperation of said manually actuated control means when the latter is inoperative position.

2. An apparatus of the class described corn-v prising in combination, analarm clock having a manually operated slidable alarm setting andshut-oil mechanism, an electrical alarm device including a circuit, asource of electrical energy for said circuit, an electrically operatedsound instrument arranged in said circuit and having a less periodicitythan said alarm clock, a switch arranged in said circuit, and means forslidably supporting said alarm clock relative to said switch to causeactuation of said switch to on" position upon manual actuation of saidalarm setting and shut-oi! mechanism from its set position to itsshut-of! position.

3, An alarm device comprising in combination an alarm circuit, anelectric lamp circuit. a source oi electric energy ior both circuits, asnap switch arranged in and common tof said alarm circuit and to saidelectric lamp circuit, an alarm switch arranged in said alarm circuit,and obstructing means associated with the alarm switch for preventingaccess to the actuation ot said snap switch to oil position when saidalarm switch is in "oil" position.

4. An alarm device comprising in combination an alarm circuit, anelectric lamp circuit, a source ci electric energy foi-.both circuits, adouble push button snap switch having an on push button and an ofi pushbutton, said push button snap switch being arranged in and common tosaid alarm circuit and to said electric lamp circuit, an alarm snapswitch having a pivoted actuating lever arranged adjacent the on pushbutton of said double push button switch, and an obstruction membercarried by said actuating lever movable to an obstructing position withrespect to the off push button when the alarm switch is in oil positionto interfere with the manual manipulation oi said on push button whensaid alarm switch is in oh position and to swing out of obstructingposition relative to said off push button when said-alarm switch is inan on position. y

5. An alarm device comprising in combination, an alarm circuitl having asource oi electric energy, an electrically operated periodicv audiblealarm instrument arranged in said alarm circuit, a double push buttonsnap switch having an on" push button and an ci push button, said pushbuttons being vertically disposed, an alarm clock supported by said on"push button, means for guiding said alarm vclock for up and downvertical movement, said alarm clock having a vertically slidable alarmcontrol element at the top thereof, whereby manual actuation oi saidcontrol element .by a downward pressure to shut oil the alarm will movesaid alarm clock downwardly and cause said on push button to'bedepressed to actuate the snap switch to close said alarm circuit tooperate said periodic audible alarm instrument,

6. A device of the class described -comprislng in combination. asupporting stand. a double push-button snap switch mounted in ahorizontal position upon said stand. said snap switch having lan "oillpush button and an on push button, both push buttons being verticallydisposed, an electric circuit in which said switch is arranged, a sourceoi electrical energy for said circuit, an electrical signal device insaid circuit, an alarm clock supporting cradle supported by the on" pushbutton oi means on said stand for said alarm clock supporting cradlewhereby manual downward pressure upon said cradle when said switch is inoi!" position will effect a turning on oi' said switch.

'7. A device of the class described comprising in combination, asupporting stand, a double push button snap switch mounted in ahorizontal position upon said stand, said snap switch having an o pushbutton and an on" push button, both push buttons being verticallydisposed, an electric circuit in which said switch is arranged, a sourceof electrical energy for said circuit, an electrical signal device insaid circuit, an alarm clock supporting cradle supported by the "on pushbutton .of said switch, guide means on said stand for said alarm clocksupporting cradle whereby manual downward pressure upon said switch, andguide Y said cradle when said switch is in oi!" position will cilect aturning on o! said switch, a second snap switch arranged in said circuitand mounted on said stand and having a pivoted actuating member movableto an obstructing position forward oi the oi!" push button when saidsecond snap switch is in "oil" position, and movable to a position outo! obstructing position with respect to said "oiP'fpush button when thesecond snap switch is in on position to facilitate tree gcc?? to themanipulation of said "ofP push 8. An apparatus oi' the class describedcomprising in combination an alarm clock having a manually depressiblealarm shut-oi! mechanism, an electric circuit including a source ofelectrical energy, an electrically operated instrument in said circuit,an electric double push button snap switch 'arranged in said circuit andhaving an on push button and an of!" push button, and means for slidablysupporting said alarm clock in an upright position upon said on pushbutton, whereby the manual downward pressure exerted upon said shut-o2mechanism will successively shut-ofi said alarm mechanism and actuatesaid on push button to closesaid electric switch.

9. An apparatus of the class described comprislng Ain combination, analarm clock having a manually depressible alarm shut-oil? mechanism, anelectric circuit including a source of electrical energy, anelectrically operated element arranged in said circuit, an electricdouble push button switch arranged in said circuit and having an on pushbutton and an oil push button, said push buttons 4being verticallydisposed, and means for slidably supporting said alarm clock in aposition of rest upon said "on" push button, whereby when said switch isin "oil" position said alarm clock will be supported in an elevatedposition upon said on push button and upon a slight manual downwardpressure upon the depressible alarm shut-oil mechanism the same may beshut oil', or upon an increased manual pressure thereto suillcient toovercome the tension of the snap switch, the alarm shut-oli mechanismmay be shut of!` and the on" push button actuated to on position toclose said switch and circuit.

10. In an apparatus oi' the class described, an alarm clock havingmanual depressible alarm shut-of! mechanism, a stand, a double pushbutton snap switch mounted on said stand having an on" push button andan ofi push button, and means for slidably supporting said alarm clockupon said on" push button, the tension oi the snap switch beingsuilicient to support the alarm clock when the switch is in of'position, whereby 1a single manual actuation or said shut loil mechanismwill actuate the same from set to shut of! position and depress said "onpush button to on position to close said switch.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, an alarm clock having amanual depressible alarm shut-ofi mechanism, a stand, a double pushbutton snap switch mounted on said stand having an on" push button andan o push button, the manual force required to actuste said depressiblealarm shut-on mechanism from set to of! position being greater than themanual force required to actuate the on push button from ofi to onposition, and means for slidably supporting said alarm clock upon said"on push button whereby a single manual force applied to said shut-oi!mechanism will successively actuate said 75 "on push button and shut of!the alarm mechanism.

12. An alarm device comprising in combination, an alarm circuit, asource of electric energy for said circuit, a snap switch arranged insaid circuit, an alarm switch arranged in said circuit, and obstructingmeans associated with the alarm switch for preventing access to theactuation of said snap switch to oi position when said alarm switch isin off position.

13. An alarm device comprising in combination, an alarm circuit, asource o1 electric energy for said circuit, a double push button snapswitch having an on push button and an off push button, said push buttonsnap switch being arranged in said alarm circuit, an alarm snap switchhaving a pivoted actuating lever arranged adjacent the off push buttonoi.' said double push button switch, and an obstruction member carriedby said actuating lever movable to an obstructing position with respectto the oi push button when the alarm switch is in ofi position tointerfere with the manual manipulation of said oi push button when saidalarm switch is in off position and to swing out of obstructing positionrelative to said oil push button when said alarm switch is in onposition.

14. In a device of the class described, a supporting stand, a doublepush button snap switch mounted in a horizontal position upon saidstand, said snap switch adapted to control an electric circuit andhaving an ofi push button and an on push button, both push buttons beingvertically disposed, an alarm clock supporting cradle supported by theon push button of said snap switch, and guide means on said stand forsaid alarm clock supporting cradle whereby manual downward pressure uponsaid cradle when said switch is in oiI position will eiIect a turning onoi said switch.

15. In a device of the class described, a supporting stand, a doublepush button snap switch mounted in a horizontal position upon saidstand, said snap switch adapted to control an electric circuit andhaving an off push button and an on push button, both push buttons beingvertically disposed, an alarm clock supporting cradle supported by theon push button of said snap switch, and guide means on said stand forsaid alarm clock supporting cradle whereby manual downward pressure uponsaid cradle when said switch is in oi position will effect a turning onof said switch, a second snap switch adapted to be arranged in the samecircuit as the double push button snap switch and having a pivotedactuating member movable to an obstructing position forward o! the offpush button when said second snap switch is in off position and movableto a position out of obstructing position with respect to said off pushbutton when the second snap switch is in on position to facilitate freeaccess to the manipulation of said oil push button.

RICHARD VARIEY.

